A Moment's Worth
by Miss Anthrope
Summary: Why is it that when you finally realize that there was something missing and was too blind to realize that the answer was actually in front of you, it gets taken away so unmercifully that there isn’t even a goodbye?


A Moment's Worth

By: Miss Anthrope

Dear Diary,

It had been so long ago and I wonder why even after all these years I would recall. But anyway, I suppose it's better off with me writing this all down rather than driving myself mad throughout the night.

I can still remember that day back in my fifth year, the year in which Hogwarts had been the host to the Triwizard Tournament. Back then everything seemed to be turning up with the cancellation of tests and of course, the final task for the champions that had at last arrived. I think I still have my old Gryffindor cap and banner I had worn that one time on the stands, cheering on Harry as though there was even a tiny doubt in my mind that he wasn't going to win.

And between the howling and waving, I had felt something strange come over me as I scanned the grounds only to stop at a pair of deep cobalt pools. They had been so full of understanding and unstrained fear that I was surprised to find that they had belonged to none other than Cedric Diggory. Sure I was an acquaintance from all the quidditch matches we had against the Hufflepuff team, but somehow after those few short moments, it seemed as though I had understood him all; it was as if I had entered his soul and from then accepted all that he was and just him as this person.

But just as quickly as it had started, the world seemed to once again move and I could only remain there speechless as Dumbledore's voice echoed within the pitch and astonishing once more, a smile, though minute, was thrown my way by Cedric and at once I knew that it was for me.

Minutes passed as the four champions ever led to their exits and I once more began cheering with a nudge from Angelina, though this time, I was also secretly rooting for a second champion. Soon enough, the noise subsided as the challenge began for what seemed like forever. A little while later, the girl from Beauxbaton, Fleur, was pulled out, followed by Viktor Krum, the chosen one from Drumstrang.

I remember suddenly sitting down out of fear of collapsing after a shout suddenly pierced the air. A blinding light struck the audience and talk quickly began erupting throughout the stands. I couldn't help but let my hearing stray to the different conversations, though one in particular had made my heart skip a beat or two from fright. According to one of the students from Ravenclaw, a friend of hers who had been sitting near the professors had heard talk of the last two contestants disappearing as soon as they had touched the trophy, as though it had been a portkey of some type.

The news must have spread quickly because soon Fudge himself stood in front of the students to assure us that there was nothing wrong and that game had yet to finish. This, however, did not reassure me as a feeling of dread crept upon me with each time I had asked the twins for the time.

Ten, fifteen, twenty, and finally, thirty minutes passed and still none had come out of the hedge maze which was now eerily silent. I recall even hoping for another scream or maybe even an explosion to just tell us that they are still there and within the game. I suppose that I had gone considerably pale for some time since George then cracked a joke about how much I looked like Malfoy before I told him off.

By then, I had already resorted to occupying my time by chatting with a group of girls nearby as I worked out at how preposterous the rumor of the disappearance was, although admittedly, their nodding still did not help reassure me at all. Then quite suddenly a familiar flash of bright light broke out in the stadium as the cheering once more began for the new champion that was supposed to now be holding the Cup victoriously over his head.

I think that I had been the first one to notice through the chaos the real scene before us, one that was far from what we had been celebrating for. Two silhouettes remained still and soon I realized that one was limp and almost _lifeless,_ as it lay sprawled on the ground.

I screamed and I felt the eyes of hundreds rest on me as I continued. Their shouts stopped as one by one, they all began to look at the now shaking form of Harry Potter as he loomed over the corpse of Cedric. Through glassy eyes, I saw the figures of Fudge, Dumbledore, the professors, and finally, his devastated father come forward, their movements rigid as they approached the hysterical hero. Arms began to hold him back as did they on Cho Chang, the girl now famous for having been Cedric's date to the Yule Ball.

I unlike them had gradually quieted down until at last it was as if my voice deserted me all together. I just slowly begun to crumble against the floor as pandemonium broke out around me, even more so when those wretched Slytherins began clamoring to see Cedric as his body was now being brought out of the area.

Funny isn't it?

Why is it that when you had finally realized that there was _something_ you had been missing and had been too blind to realize that the answer was actually in front of you all along, it gets taken away from you so unmercifully that there isn't even a goodbye?

All I knew then was that my world, it seemed was quickly crumbling apart piece by piece along with myself. It felt as though every inch of me was being pulled at the seams before finally being ripped apart by this emotion that I had never thought possible to feel.

Up to this day, I sometimes lay awake wondering what did happen to me that one night. What was that bond- if you could call it as such- that had formed between Cedric and me? And then I come to think of whether it is even possible to develop something so deep with just a ten second eye contact?

Even after all that I have gone through and finally being able to say that I had finally grown up, I still don't have any of the answers to my questions. A part of me says that I never will and at most times, I think that it's just for the better. I suppose it's just best for some things to be left as they are, especially those so pure and innocent, like what I once had with Cedric.

But then again, who knows?

Until next time then I suppose,

Katie


End file.
